In Manipur, two-phase polling for two LS seats; special booths for displaced voters

In the wake of the ethnic clashes that broke out in the state on May 3 last year, hard lines have been drawn between areas where the Kuki-Zomi and Meitei communities, respectively, are in majority. While Meiteis who lived in Kuki-dominated areas have moved to Meitei-dominated areas in the state’s valley districts, the reverse movement has been the case for Kuki-Zomis in Meitei-majority areas.

The Election Commission (EC) has tried to account for this mass displacement through a scheme to enable internally displaced people to vote in relief camps, for which special polling stations will be set up outside the territorial limits of their constituencies. The EC is looking at displaced voters in relief camps in 10 districts – Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal, Jiribam and Ukhrul.

For the scheme, assistant returning officers have been appointed to each district exclusively for the displaced voters.

Pradeep Kumar Jha, Manipur’s chief electoral officer, told The Indian Express: “In the 10 districts where there are relief camps, the exercise of notification of polling stations is currently going on. Once we notify the polling stations, ID forms will be distributed to the displaced through which they can specify whether they want to vote at their original polling station or at the special polling station.”

In accordance with the submissions through the forms, voters will be assigned to different polling stations, with each special polling station not to have more than 1,200 voters. Apart from those in relief camps, displaced people living with their relatives or friends can also opt to vote at any of the special polling stations by submitting applications through the ID forms.

Jha said the scheme is limited to enabling displaced people to vote from their current location, not changing their constituency. “To vote in a particular constituency, a person has to qualify to be an ordinary resident there. Those staying in relief camps are not ordinary residents, they are temporary residents. However, if a person has permanently transferred themselves lock, stock and barrel, then they can update their constituency during summary revision or continuous revision of the electoral rolls,” he said.

According to the schedule released by the EC on Saturday, the most volatile parts of the state – Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, Bishnupur, Kangpokpi, Churachandpur and Chandel – will vote in Phase 1 on April 19. Jiribam, Pherzawl, Tamenglong, Noney, Senapati, Ukhrul, Kamjong and Tengnoupal will vote on April 26.

Manipur has two Lok Sabha constituencies – the Inner Manipur constituency, which largely covers the Meitei-majority valley areas, and the Outer Manipur constituency, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribes and has alternated between Naga and Kuki-Zomi representatives.